【Chapter 017】 “Goodnight. Sweet Dreams.”
The elevator stopped on Level B1.
Yu Xiuzhu held down the elevator door button and asked again, still worried.
“Xiao Jing, are you sure you don’t need me to take you home?”
“Brother Yu, I’m not a three-year-old anymore.”
Seeing that Yu Xiuzhu insisted on accompanying him downstairs, Jing Shun urged him helplessly, “Just take the elevator back up. Isn’t Producer Yu still waiting to have dinner with you? You don’t need to see me off.”
He glanced around, searching for someone outside.
“Mr. Chi’s already here to pick me up.”
“…”
Yu Xiuzhu remained outwardly calm, but a thought crossed his mind.
The B1 parking lot was reserved for Hai City TV Station. To prevent fans and other outsiders from sneaking in and causing disturbances, only vehicles with the corresponding access permits could enter.
He had no idea how Chi Gui had managed it. He had simply said he was coming in, and here he was.
Jing Shun exited the elevator first.
“Brother Yu, I’ll be going now?”
Yu Xiuzhu replied, “All right. Get some good rest tomorrow. I’ll come pick you up for filming the day after tomorrow?”
“Mm.”
After a brief farewell, Jing Shun followed the signs toward Area B. Before long, a familiar voice came from behind him again.
“Jing Shun?”
“…”
Jing Shun had no choice but to turn his wheelchair around. He recognized Fu Changting, who was wearing a mask.
“Brother Ting.”
Fu Changting had already changed out of his stage outfit. Three staff members accompanied him, and it looked like he was also finished for the day and preparing to leave.
Fu Changting gestured for his assistants to go to the parking space first, then quickly removed his mask and walked over to Jing Shun.
“Why are you alone? Where’s your manager?”
Jing Shun did not reveal the family relationship between Yu Xiuzhu and Yu Yinhe. He simply said, “Brother Yu went upstairs to get something.”
Fu Changting did not suspect anything and instead praised him.
“You did pretty well during the recording today. At first, I was worried you’d be nervous and wouldn’t say much.”
Thinking back to the recording not long ago, Jing Shun’s eyes held a trace of understanding.
“Brother Ting, you were worried I wouldn’t get many shots, weren’t you? You steered the conversation toward me several times.”
Fu Changting did not deny it.
“Was it that obvious? I thought I was being pretty discreet.”
The entertainment industry placed great importance on “popularity,” “achievements,” and “status.” Although Jing Shun had gotten lucky and joined the program, that did not mean he would receive much screen time later.
Fu Changting understood the rules of the industry and was helping him in his own way.
Jing Shun felt grateful.
“Thank you, Brother Ting.”
“You’re welcome.”
Fu Changting took out his phone and took the opportunity to suggest, “We didn’t have time to talk in the makeup room before filming. If it’s convenient, can we add each other on WeChat? Your WeChat.”
Hearing the emphasis on those last four words, Jing Shun smiled faintly.
“Mm.”
They successfully added each other on WeChat.
Fu Changting asked again, “Where are you living now? How about I give you a ride home?”
The moment the invitation left his mouth, his manager came over from behind.
“Changting, there are still quite a few fans waiting outside. They’ve been standing in the cold wind for a long time.”
“When we leave the parking lot later, you’ll have to roll down the window and greet them.”
He quickly sized up Jing Shun and tactfully reminded him, “If someone happens to photograph the two of you in the same car, it might not look very good.”
After Fu Changting terminated his contract with his former agency, he had signed a management contract with his current manager, Chen Jiang.
Chen Jiang knew nothing about their past interactions. He was simply judging the situation from a manager’s perspective and offering practical advice—
The entertainment industry was much more open than it used to be.
Even if two men were seen together, it could still spark some same-sex rumors. Besides, who knew whether Jing Shun had any ulterior motives? What if he was trying to use the opportunity to generate publicity?
“…”
Fu Changting was just about to object when Jing Shun spoke first.
“Brother Ting, don’t trouble yourself.”
How could he not hear the unspoken meaning behind the manager’s words? He had enough self-awareness to understand.
Regardless of whether they had known each other before, he should take the initiative to avoid suspicion in private. He should not bring any unnecessary gossip or trouble upon himself or Fu Changting.
Jing Shun came up with a reasonable excuse and politely declined the offer.
“Actually, my partner is coming to pick me up. He’s not in the entertainment industry, so… it wouldn’t be convenient for him to appear in public.”
“Your partner?” The manager’s concerns were dispelled by more than half. He smiled. “Wouldn’t have guessed that. I thought you were single.”
Jing Shun smiled in return and said nothing more.
Although his “romantic relationship” with Chi Gui was merely an agreement, it could indeed serve as a useful excuse to get out of certain situations.
After all, as long as someone was not a popular idol, being in a relationship was not a taboo.
Fu Changting’s expression changed slightly when he heard this unexpected news, but he tactfully brought the conversation to an end.
“All right, I’ll be going then. See you at filming the day after tomorrow?”
“Mm. Goodbye, Brother Ting.”
Jing Shun watched Fu Changting leave. Only after the other man got into his car and drove away did he finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Beep-beep!
A horn suddenly sounded behind him.
The sound of tires scraping against the ground followed close behind. Thinking he was blocking the road, Jing Shun hurriedly moved to the side.
The next second, the familiar black luxury car stopped right in front of him. The rear door opened automatically, revealing Chi Gui inside—
He was wearing only a thin black turtleneck sweater. The dim yellow light inside the car softened his deep, cold features, giving him an unexpectedly distant, restrained, and almost austere air.
“…”
Meeting his gaze, Jing Shun’s mind inexplicably went blank.
A specially modified lift mechanism lowered into place.
Chi Gui asked, “Finished up?”
“Ah?”
Jing Shun blinked and moved forward on his own.
“Mm, I’m done.”
Once you’ve done it once, the second time is easier.
Now, even without anyone’s help, he could use the equipment to get into the car securely and lock his wheelchair into place.
Three minutes later, Wei Di, who was driving from the front, started the car and left the B1 parking lot.
Fu Changting’s white van was parked not far away, surrounded by a group of fans who had been waiting for a long time. Despite the bitter cold, their enthusiasm had not diminished.
Jing Shun noticed this and turned his gaze back to Chi Gui.
“Mr. Chi, have you been waiting long?”
“Not really.”
Chi Gui naturally noticed where Jing Shun’s gaze had lingered.
He lowered the car window slightly to let in some air and deliberately pointed it out.
“I saw you chatting with someone else, so I waited a little.”
“…”
Jing Shun realized what he meant. “You mean Brother Ting?”
Hearing the familiar form of address, Chi Gui lowered the car window a little farther. “You two are pretty close?”
“……”
Wei Di, who was driving in the front, secretly glanced at the rearview mirror. He silently closed the partition between the front and back seats, reducing his presence as much as possible.
“Have you heard of Fu Changting?” Afraid that Chi Gui might not know much about the people and happenings in the entertainment industry, Jing Shun added a few more words. “Brother Ting is an outstanding actor. He became a Best Actor in his early thirties.”
“……I don’t like watching TV dramas.” Chi Gui’s tone remained completely calm as he lowered the window all the way.
The cool night breeze rushed inside.
Jing Shun answered honestly, “I acted in a few scenes with him when I was little. I didn’t expect that we’d end up recording a program together again this time. When they saw me alone just now, they came over to ask if I needed a ride home.”
Chi Gui turned his head toward him. “Then why didn’t you accept?”
Jing Shun countered, “Didn’t you message me saying you were waiting for me?”
“……”
Chi Gui was silent for a few seconds before saying, “You can have normal social relationships. I won’t interfere.”
“Mm, I know.”
Jing Shun voiced the concern in his heart. “Brother Ting’s current status and popularity are beyond what ordinary people can compare with. I don’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble, so……”
He remembered the excuse he had used to turn them down not long ago, and a trace of belated awkwardness flickered between his brows.
Chi Gui noticed something and stared at him, probing, “So what?”
Under his gaze, Jing Shun had nowhere to hide. “So, in order to politely decline their offer, I said that my partner had come to pick me up.”
“Your partner?” Chi Gui repeated the excuse, his brows lifting slightly. “Me?”
“……”
Jing Shun felt uncertain, and his voice softened. “I didn’t reveal your identity. Is that still not okay?”
The instant he finished speaking, Chi Gui let out a brief laugh. “I didn’t say it wasn’t okay.”
Jing Shun paused, suddenly feeling an indescribable embarrassment. “What are you laughing at?”
Chi Gui denied it. “I’m not laughing. You heard wrong.”
“……”
The wind outside rushed rapidly through the open window, dispersing the subtle warmth on Jing Shun’s face. He steadied himself and changed the subject. “Could you close your window a little? I’m a bit cold.”
“Okay.”
Chi Gui closed the window and even raised the temperature of the air conditioning inside the car.
Feeling the warmth return, Jing Shun relaxed. “Mr. Chi, why did you come to wait for me today?”
Hearing the way he addressed him, Chi Gui calmly explained, “I went to inspect one of the subsidiaries under my management this evening. It happened to be quite close to the recording studio at Hai City TV Station, so I came over.”
He didn’t give Jing Shun a chance to examine the reason further and asked, pretending not to know, “Jing Shun, our agreement has been in effect for a while now, hasn’t it?”
Jing Shun was puzzled. “Mm.”
Chi Gui said, “Since you announced to outsiders today that I’m your partner, are you planning to keep calling me Mr. Chi in front of other people? Aren’t you afraid of being exposed?”
Jing Shun faltered. “I……”
If he didn’t call him Mr. Chi, what was he supposed to call him? Chi Gui by his name? Considering Chi Gui’s status and position, that didn’t seem very appropriate.
Seeing the conflict in his eyes, Chi Gui made a straightforward request. “Is it really that difficult? Just call me by my name.”
Jing Shun gave a muffled response. “Mm.”
The car sped through the deep night. Forty minutes later, they arrived at the Chi residence.
The two rear doors opened at the same time, and Chi Gui got out first.
“We’re here. Get out.”
“Mm.”
Jing Shun held back the fatigue that was gradually sweeping over him. He unfastened his seat belt and the wheelchair’s securing lock, then carefully but skillfully shifted himself onto the lift.
He turned the seat a little too far. The wheels underneath veered forward, and in an instant, both he and the wheelchair lost their center of gravity!
Jing Shun closed his eyes in panic and instinctively shielded his face and head.
Crash!
The heavy sound of the wheelchair hitting the ground rang out, but the pain of falling never came.
“Jing Shun? Are you okay?”
“……”
Holding his breath, Jing Shun opened his eyes and met the lingering worry in Chi Gui’s eyes.
The man’s hand was firmly placed around his waist, almost pulling his entire body into his embrace. The soft fabric of his clothes carried a familiar tea fragrance, which mingled with his faint body warmth and gave off a reassuring scent.
“……”
Jing Shun was used to the helplessness and embarrassment of falling, but this was the first time he had experienced being caught by someone.
For a moment, he was completely at a loss.
Seeing that Jing Shun didn’t respond, Chi Gui furrowed his brow. “Jing Shun, answer me. Are you okay?”
Jing Shun took several seconds to react before letting out a shallow breath. “I-I’m fine.”
Wei Di hurried over and lifted the wheelchair back up. “Sir.”
Chi Gui carried Jing Shun back into the wheelchair and asked again to make sure. “Do you need me to call a doctor?”
The surgery was scheduled for the end of the month. Nothing could go wrong at this stage.
“No need. I’m fine.”
Remembering how Chi Gui had caught him in time, Jing Shun felt a trace of warmth spread through his heart. “Thank you, Mr. Chi……”
He quickly swallowed the formal address. “Thank you.”
“As long as you’re okay. Then go back and get some rest.”
“Mm.”
Chi Gui stopped pressing the matter and pushed the button to close the elevator doors.
The two entered the house and took the elevator upstairs.
When the elevator slowly opened on the second floor, Goubao immediately ran out of the room at the sound.
The moment it spotted Jing Shun’s familiar figure, it charged over with its tail wagging, its four little legs scrambling in every direction as it ran.
“Awoo! Woo~!”
Jing Shun bent down and scooped it into his arms, soothing it gently. “Good baby. You missed me, didn’t you?”
Goubao kept tilting its head upward and burrowing into his arms.
“Woof!”
“Jing Shun.”
Chi Gui held down the elevator door-open button and reminded him, “Your surgery is coming up soon. From now on, aside from recording the program, stay home and rest. We don’t want another accident like tonight.”
“Mm.”
Seeing that Jing Shun understood, Chi Gui pressed the button to close the doors.
Jing Shun watched the elevator doors slowly slide shut. Almost instinctively, he called out, “Chi Gui!”
Hearing his own name, Chi Gui quickly changed what he was doing and pressed the button to reopen the doors. “What is it?”
Jing Shun didn’t know how to express the gratitude stirring in his heart, so he simply turned Goubao around in his arms, smiled faintly, and waved the puppy’s chubby little paw.
“Look—”
“The puppy is wishing you goodnight.”
Chi Gui met his gentle gaze, and something stirred in his heart.
“Mm. Received. Sweet dreams to you, too.”